thanks so much for watching. ask coming up right now, "the ed show," with ed schultz. good evening, americans. live from minneapolis, let's get to work. >> mmm, california. beautiful. >> thousands of californians are signing up every day for new health care plans, all across the state. >> literally -- >> folks have fought us every step of the way. >> i do not like them in a box. >> the joker? not him again. >> we have kept on going. >> literally -- >> states like california are proving, the law works. >> oh, no, you can't! >> i shall notten inferred by that insidious unconstitutional -- >> no more super villains,

because bat kid cleaned up the streets. >> here comes ted cruz and darrell issa, tweeting out about what a wonderful story this is. >> that wasn't good enough. >> but they forgot the other kids in this country. who are going to be affected by their vile attitude towards health care. >> no more super villains. we're going to make sure that everybody in the california and everybody in america who needs help is going to get it. >> good to have you with us. thanks for watching. the president is on the road, collecting positive stories about something that the right wing is negative about across the board. well, it's just one brick after another. you can't build the roof first, when you build a house. you've got to lay the foundation. day by day, the stories are mounting up. we start the program tonight with some important news about obama care. earlier today, the supreme court agreed to take up a challenge on

the obama care contraceptive insurance mandate. they will decide if it violates a company's religious freedom. this case will be taken up a full two years after the supreme court upheld obama care as the law. remember, this court has a conservative bent to oh it. a conservative majority. it's the same court that ruled key provisions of the voting rights act unconstitutional. if the conservative justices determine a company or corporation has religious rights, it could be a major hit to obama care. no question about it. the white house released a statement today, saying that health decisions should be up to women. not their employers. this will just drive more women into the democratic camp. in the meantime, the technical issues are being addressed by the administration. the real story, the federal exchange is boosting its capacity day by day, and the states with exchanges have quite a report card to tell in a great

number of enrollment taking place. earlier today, president obama said thousands of people in california are getting health care for the first time. >> here in southern california, and here across this state, there are thousands of people every single day who are getting health care for the first time. for the first time. because of this. as a country, we're now poised to gain health coverage for millions of americans starting on january 1st, and that includes more than 350,000 here in california who have already signed up. >> so the president is giving us numbers. i find that very interesting. because on your kitchen table, it's all about the budget, isn't it? it's all about a family's budget. it's all about what you have to pay, and then you wonder if you're getting shafted or not. this is the story. as people continue to sign up

for this thing called obama care, the success stories are going to start to boom. there is no better example of this than the state of california. their state exchange is working like a charm. their state exchange is doing what it is saving and changing lives. a big credit to michael hillzych of the l.a. times, reasonable profiled a number of people who obama care has helped. these stories focus on what obama care does for average americans. first there's the story of david shevlino, an artist, paying $1,000 a month through his wife's cobra coverage. next year under obama care, david pays $650 a month after a government subsidy. it's a $350 a month savings. now hold it right there. $350 a month. now, if you're a millionaire over on fox doing the news, is $350 a month going to change

your lifestyle? is it going to bend you one way or another on a story? are you going to really feel the impact of the consumer? no. but the people who are on fixed incomes and middle class families across this country, you go door to door and ask them, what does $350 a month in savings mean to you, their eyes open up. hey, that might be a new car. that might be that new truck that i've been thinking about. that's an upgrade of the house. might even add on an addition, because i can finance it. i've got a little bit more spending power. this money is going to go back into the economy. there is also the story of the lesbian couple in california who were paying $1300 a month for insurance in san diego county. they were eventually dropped from their plan. they got one of those notices, you know, from the insurance company. the couple obviously had trouble finding a new plan, because one of the partners had a preexisting condition. now under obama care, that got

covered. they're going to get covered. the couple's premium oh -- here's another numbers game for you. dropped from $1300 a month to $142 a month? after subsidies? it's going to save them over $1100 a month. then there's the story of judith silverstein. judith was diagnosed with ms back in 2007. she had insurance and is currently paying $750 a month. the only reason she can pay is because her family helps her with the bill. under obama care, this premium will drop $50 -- to $50 a month with the subsidy. she and her family will save $700 a month. now, it's not just people receiving subsidies that obama care is helping. there's the story of jason noble who runs a successful property management company down in southern california. he got an obama care plan for $1300 a month that covers him. his wife and his three children.

now, it costs slightly more. see how we're telling both sides of the story? it's costing him slightly more than his old plan. but his deductible is dropping from $3400 to zero. it's definitely a good deal. you see, stories like these are happening all over the country every day. but the mainstream media, well, it's just not juicy enough. it's too proobama. it's too pro health care reform. once the federal exchange is 100% up and running, these stories are going to become the norm across america. so whereas the polls may not measure it right now, it's an instant take of the american emotion, is what polls are today. fox propaganda is not going to be able to outdo these stories in the long run. and it's going to put john boehner, speaker of the house, in an untenable position with the republicans. a real tough spot. what is boehner going to say to

these people? actually, i want all of you people who are on "the ed show" to go right back to the old system where a preexisting condition will make it so you get the old rate or no rate at all. this is what the republicans have voted for. reform is not easy. it's the same thing this country went through with social security, with medicare and medicaid, and also civil rights. this is the civil rights issue of our time. and people in this country who are seeing reduced rates and full coverage who are getting a new deal, an obama deal, they've got relatives. they've got brothers and sisters and moms and dads and next door neighbors. and simply the republicans starting with boehner are going to be on the wrong side of history. and it's not going to show up right in a poll tonight. or tomorrow. but as this website is now handling 50,000 americans per

hour, things are getting a heck of a lot better. and the high percentage of americans who are getting on there and getting the deals, these stories are being told, and republicans doing everything they possibly can can. there is not a pr playbook available globally that is going to be able to fight a positive story when it comes to insurance reform and health care reform in this country. this is a victory for the left. call it what it is. and it is changing the face of america. because we're finally finding out we do have compassionate people in our society who are willing to take a chance, show some guts, force some change, and hope that the rest of the country comes along. it's, i guess, how that hopy-changy thing is working out. get your cell phones out. i want to know what you think. tonight's question. will obama care's success stories overcome conservative propaganda? text a for yes, text b for no to 67622. you can always go to our blog at

ed.msnbc.com. and, of course, we'll bring results later in the show. for me, let me bring in california senator barbara boxer. senator, good to have you with us tonight. i'm curious. it is very clear at this point that the states that have managed health care with their own state exchange are the ones that are producing all of the positive stories that are out there. it's far ahead of the federal exchange. but what kind of reaction are you getting from your constituents, senator? what are you hearing in the state of california? >> people are so hopeful, and they're so happy. and a day after day, i hear it from them. and if you will, i have just two quick quotes for you. very quick. here's one. thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. i've been denied health insurance for three years for preexisting condition. i can now live again. and here's another one. this saved me more than $2,000 a

year. and the last one. amazing, very grateful. first time insured since 1988, due to affordability. this is so important to all americans. so listen, rooting for failure is not the american way. and from john boehner down, in that republican party, for the most part, that's what you have sdpch . and when you look at my great state, you've got a governor behind this, a state length tour, every statewide elected official is a democrat. the two senators, the majority of the congressional delegation. and we understand we have to to better and more and fix things that glitch. but at the end of the day, this is really the massachusetts plan. and ed, 97% of the people in massachusetts are insured. and that brings peace of mind and happiness. >> senator, what's your reaction to the supreme court taking up

the contraception mandate? >> i think it had to be taken up, because as you know, there are court opinions all over the place. but i really want to make a case here. if this court is truly for individual freedom, it should think about the individual rights of the people who work in corporations all across america. it is their right to make a decision. and i don't know if you're aware of this. it surprised me to learn this originally. 50% of the people who take birth control, of the women, take it for a medical condition. and it prevents cancer and other gynecological problems. so if an employer is stopping you from that, they're going to stop you from getting your kids a vaccine, if their christian scientists. so i think -- look, i believe in a conscience clause, obama administration has one for religious institutions. but that's as far as it should go. and then it should be -- >> what do you -- >> between a woman and doctor and her god. >> yeah.

what do you think the outcome is going to be, senator? and if it is not a favorable outcome, if it allows ceos and companies to get between women and their doctor, what does that do to obama care? >> well, obama care goes forward. i mean, it doesn't really impact any other benefit. but let's be clear. this is an important benefit. you know, ed, 90% of american women have used birth control at some point in their lives. and including -- vast majority of catholic women. this is not a fringe issue. so i just don't want to think about the court doing the wrong thing. i'll have a lot more to say if they do. but i've got to believe they're in, you know, 21st century. this is -- this should not be an issue. birth control should not be controversial. >> senator, moving forward into 2014, do you think that obama care, the affordable care act, is going to be the hot conversation as it has been

since the exchange opened up, the 1st of october? and i mean, i feel totally confident that the website is going to be fixed. i mean, it's a six-month window to get this thing right. but what are we going to be talking about in the summer? what are we going to be talking about next september and october, running up to the mid terms? i'd like your thoughts on that. >> well, to me, it's very clear. it's going to be between candidates who are making this new health care plan work so that our people can can have the peace of mind. but one thing i know, anyone who wants to go back to the way it was, they're just not going to get anywhere. remember those stories. we were moving toward premiums costing 50% of your income. we had people who could not get health care, because they had a preexisting condition. who had to choose between bankruptcy and their health care. i mean, it's -- unbelievable. and remember, all americans are

going to be really benefitting from this now. even those who are -- who are keeping their medicare and the rest. there were benefits that were expanded for everybody. and, you know, insurance company can't walk out on you. no more annual limits, no more lifetime limits. and i think anyone who says they want to go back and repeal and have no plan, which that's the way the republicans are. i don't think the american people embrace that. >> you know, in our business, we say things. and sometimes we say things really fast. and audiences don't grab it. like when we say the preexisting condition. the preexisting condition. you can say preexisting condition in a matter of seconds. so quick and boom, it's off the screen. but to that person who has been denied for years because of a preexisting condition, this is as big as it gets for any consumer. this is real reform.

and the american people need to grab this. that this is real reform being told, whether you can -- being told, whether you can sit at a cafe counter or not, because of the color of your skin. being told whether you can vote or not, because you're a woman. being told that you can get equal pay in the workplace. to be told that, well, no matter what your health condition is, the insurance industry is not going to be able to turn you away. how can the democrats not run on that. i mean, it would seem to me that this would be an absolute walk into power for the democrats in the mid terms. your thoughts. >> i believe it. i believe you are right. this is a huge issue. we have had this problem forever. and finally, it's getting fixed. and you're right. someone who was unable to get insurance knew that they were on the edge of destruction. and loss. and poverty. and losing their home and losing

everything. and we cannot go back. and that's why i think this will be a big issue. and, again, i have to say, it works in massachusetts. and that's the model. and it's going to work. it's working in california. we're going to get the glitches out. and it's going to be, i think, a very good issue for democrats. >> glitches are good. that means people want it. that's the big thing. senator barbara boxer, great to have you with us tonight on "the ed show." i appreciate your time so much. thank you. remember to answer tonight's question there at the bottom of the screen and share your thoughts with us on twitter at ed show and on facebook. we want to know what you think on this. will the positive stories outweigh the negative in the long run. coming up, glenn beck gets trigger happy on fox. plus, rick santorum can't hold a candle in the movie business. stay with us.

we know we're not the center of your life, but we'll do our best to help you connect to what is.

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and we get the ed tour, 2014. ed.com, get all the details. we're going to be in ft. lauderdale and seattle. sign up there. time for the trenders. "the ed show" social media nation has decide and had we are reporting. here are today's top trenders, voted on by you. >> surprise, surprise. >> the number three trender. the back is back. >> glenn beck. >> you can't get away with it as easy as that. >> beck is now the watchdog of history, along with me. >> glenn beck on fox news with some new props. >> this is an original. this is one of only seven guns taken. >> you'll shoot your eye out, kid. >> this was taken from sitting eagle. bed sheet from abraham lincoln. you may have the book, i have the bed sheet. >> toga, toga, toga! >> the number two trender. burn. >> hi, i'm rick santorum.

>> santorum knows a thing or two about bringing people in. >> i'm not the miracle man you remember. >> rick santorum's christmas candle is a box office bomb. >> what is this christmas candle? >> it's not like voodoo stuff. >> quite frankly, it stinks. >> you were speaking from the sweater vested heart. >> hated it! >> and today's top trender. back on track. >> obama care has been on a roll over oh the last couple weeks. >> this website is it going to get fixed, and we are going to be signing people up. >> the federal exchange is working better on a day-to-day basis. the obama administration has its website set on december 1st. >> the system will not work perfectly on december 1st, but it will operate much better than it did in october. >> folks have fought us every step of the way, but we have kept on going. >> by the end of the month, healthcare.gov will be able to operate at the capacity that was originally intended, approximately 50,000 users on the site at the same time. >> we just kept on going. we don't stop.

>> joining me now is wendell potter, senior analyst with the center for public integrity and author of the upcoming e book, "obama care, what's in it for me." wendell, appreciate your time. what are the numbers as you know it right now, and give us your professional analysis of how good or bad it is with the numbers. >> well, i think the numbers are going to be really terrific. already the administration saying the site can accommodate 25,000 people at one time. it will soon be up to 50,000. and my understanding is, they expect that they can accommodate 800,000 people in a given 24-hour period. that's a lot of people. and we're talking about something also that is going to be spread out over quite a long time. i think it's going to be functioning pretty well. it already is, ed. i wrote my column this week, features -- it was about a man who is self-employed, self-employed photographer. bob frunks in st. louis. he and his wife are

self-employed. if it's working in missouri, where politicians have tried for many years now to derail the obama care implementation, it's going to be working everywhere. and he was pleasantly surprised to see that he and his wife now are going to be able to get coverage for the first time in their married life. 30 years, ed. >> yeah. >> do you believe that the website is the key at this point? there's not any problem with the product. i mean, all of these people who have gotten cancellations are right back in on the federal exchange, getting a better deal. i mean, that is the general narrative. that's not to say that some people's rates aren't going to go up. but for the majority of people in, it's a much better deal. so the question is, when are the insurance companies can going to start advertising? if there is going to be 30 to 40 million new customers out there, it would seem there would be an advertising blitz coming from the insurance industry. when do you think that's going to start, or is it? >> it will start after the first of the year, and it will vary from state to state.

insurance companies will have different advertising budgets. but you will start seeing that as soon as they feel comfort canable. that the website is truly fixed well enough to accommodate a lot of people at one time. and i'm pretty certain we'll see it after the 1st of the month. and leading up until just before christmas. because the -- as you know, the administration extended the sign-up date until december the 23rd for policies starting january the 1st. >> yeah. well, in the insurance industry, isn't it hard to go out and compete for, you know, customers when customers can't get the proper access to the kind of products that are on the market, so why advertise? i mean, it's a chicken and egg kind of thing. >> it's exactly right. that's why we haven't seen a lot of advertising, although i spent time in california over the past few weeks and california has been advertising quite a bit. in the states operating their own exchanges, you are seeing those ads. you're seeing some insurers already advertising to compete

for bess. we'll be seeing that all across the country in the coming days. >> well, here in the state of minnesota where i'm broadcasting from tonight, just outside the studio there was a bus that went by this afternoon. and, of course, minnesota is known as the land of 10,000 lakes. and one of the billboards on the side of the bus was health care in minnesota, mnscu, 10,000 reasons why to get health care in mnscu, which is the state exchange. there are good stories that are happening in a big way, and there are states that are rendering good decisions for people and helping them out to get the right coverage. but do you think that these improvements in the website will stop the conservative smear campaign, or is this something that the conservative movement in america is going to be harping on until the midterms? >> they'll be harping on it, because they're very vested in this. you can rest assured, ed, and i used to do this for a living. somewhere in some conference

room, some strategists, communication strategists, pollsters are convening to try to figure out what words will work, how can they manipulate public opinion, how can they create an alternate universe, alternate reality, in the face of all the success stories. they will try their best to campaign against this for the rest of this year, and throughout 2014. you can rest assured they will. >> and nothing beats a real-life story of somebody's life being turned around, or $350 a month savings to a middle class family. or someone who gets insurance and doesn't have to pay very much for it. and it's such a turn-around. i don't know what bullet point out of what corporate boardroom is going to overcome the real-life stories that are going to be out there across this country. wendell potter, great to have you with us tonight. i appreciate your time. thanks so much. coming up, don't let the co corporate grinch steal

thanksgiving. in pretenders tonight, possibly the worst obama care comparison yet. but next, i'm taking your questions. "ask ed live" just ahead. stay tuned on msnbc. she's always been able to brighten your day.

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oh boy... [ male announcer ] fedex one rate. simple, flat rate shipping with the reliability of fedex. welcome back to "the ed show." we love hearing from our viewers. tonight in "ask ed live" a question from mike hutchinson, is there any possible accomplishment the president could achieve that the gop would give him credit for? absolutely not. there isn't anything this president can do that would satisfy the gop, even when it comes to money. you can go back to march of 2009 when the market was floating around 6500. today it's over 16,000. but all they do is call president obama a socialist. they don't give him any credit for staying out of the way of big business, and letting wall street roll. no. there is absolutely nothing this president can do that would satisfy conservatives.

our next question is from steve wallace, who wants to know, what's your favorite holiday, thanksgiving or christmas. well, i can say a lot of good things about thanksgiving, because i like to eat, and love having the family around. but there's really nothing better than christmas. the birth of jesus, the warmth of family. and i think for this country and community, christmas is an amazing time of year. it's nice to know that the majority of americans really, really feel good this time of year. stick around. rapid response panel coming up next. i'm julia boorstin with your cnbc market wrap. the dow up just under 1 point, the nasdaq added 23 points. home prices went up 27% in keys december, a 13% jump from a year ago, the biggest gain in eight years. consumer confidence took a hit in november, down to its

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and if you switch, you could save up to $423. liberty mutual insurance. responsibility. what's your policy? welcome back to "the ed show." well, it's been a year of unprecedented partisan gridlock in washington. you know it turns out there actually is something that we can all agree on. at least by the polls. call it a holiday miracle. according to a huff post u-gov poll, 62% of americans think businesses should close on thanksgiving. so workers can have the day off. and the poll found virtually no partisan divide. 65% of democrats, 63% of republicans, and 60% of independents all agree businesses should close on

thanksgiving. big retailers now, like walmart, staples, kmart, and target are planning on opening their doors earlier this year in an attempt to rake in some extra profit. but a whopping 80% of respondents want they had no plans to shop on thanksgiving day at all. is this a change in america being forced by the corporate boys? joining me now, our rapid response panel, the grio's joy reid, and democratic strategist, bob shrum. great to have you with us tonight. joy, you first. is this just a case of corporate greed? and once again, the workers are expected to do a little bit more for profit. your thoughts. >> yeah, no, absolutely. i think that the shame of it is that the retailers that are the most interested in this policy are those that pay the lowest wages. so you have low-wage workers who have to leave their family and thanksgiving, presuming they can afford to have a thanksgiving to come in and work. i think it is unfair.

>> bob shrum, this is the free market at work. and the free market at work is that corporate control over workers is really what the story is. how do you view this? are we going to see a change down the road that it's just the norm to have companies opening up on thanksgiving? >> i think we are, probably. and i think the most important thing about this is what joy just said. which is to see if we can get people paid better, raise the minimum wage, make sure people have benefits. look, a lot of what's happening here is being driven by economics. the fact is that people shop online. and the folks who are processing those orders on thanksgiving day are at work. they're just not in the store. the second thing is, your competitors are doing it. so you start doing it. so it's going to be -- i think it's going to be a very difficult trend to stop. the one thing i was amused by in that polling data, ed, only 7% of people say they're going to shop thanksgiving day. i think maybe there is some fudging going on in that polling. because it was only 7%.

if the demand wasn't there, these folks wouldn't be opening. >> well, that's -- i think very profound. consumers go in looking for a deal, not looking for somebody to get better wages. but if people don't respond and numbers are down, is this -- could be a short-term thing, or do you think this is the way it's going to turn? >> well, i think it's going to turn this way, because i think people are responding. they are going to the stores. this is a big experiment. and, by the way, it's not just the stores you mentioned. main line stores. the traditional stores. a lot of them are now going to open on thanksgiving day. so look, i'm not for it. but i think it's driven by economics. the pope today issued his first long letter and denounced excessive consumerism and trickle down economics. he almost sounded like you, in part of it. but the truth of the matter is, it is driven by demand. if the demand wasn't there, the stores wouldn't open. >> what do you make of these potential strikes that are coming up, joy?

will they have an impact? do you think that consumers -- of course, there will be news coverage out there in local markets about people standing out in front of these big conglomerates trying to make a dollar. i think in this age of income inequality, this is really one to pay attention to, to see what consumers do for workers, if anything. >> i think, unfortunately, we are sort of becoming two americas, to use the old -- hate to bring up john edwards term. in that you have an economy that is kbeerd 100% toward two things. shareholders and consumers who have enough of an income to be able to demand convenience. and low-wage workers are sort of becoming the new thing. unfortunately, businesses are in the business of making money. they're not in the business of providing workers with stability or high enough income so they themselves can be consumers. and there is just no incentive, as bob said, for these businesses to back down. and the protest, they believe in these corporate boardrooms will pass. and even if they happen, they are a one-day story.

but the ongoing dirge of people not able to shop at the stores they work, i don't think it's ending any time soon. >> well, all of these companies that i mentioned hate unions. they don't want to bargain. they don't like collective bargaining. they drive down wages as best they can. and they size about what a great place it is to work. you know, walmart made $19 billion last year. i mean, did they have to be open on thanksgiving day? no, they don't. but they can can make more money doing it. at least there's a calculation there that they can. and no doubt, walmart takes center stage in this debate. the retailer has repeatedly come under fire for its low wages. and, of course, earlier this month, it was reported that a walmart in ohio was even holding a food drive for its own employees in need. walmart workers and their supporters are planning protests at 1,500 walmart stores on black friday, hoping to bring attention to the workers who are underpaid, workers who are now

being forced to work on thanksgiving. now, last week the national labor relations board general council found walmart workers had experienced unlawful retaliation in the form of being fired. disciplined or threatened for engaging in black friday strikes last year. on monday, walmart replaced chief executive officer, mike duke, with company veteran doug mcmillan. but there's nothing to suggest that the change in leadership makes a change in the company's anti worker policies. i mean, i think that these -- these strikes that are going to take place in 1,500 stores, these are brave employees, bob shrum. will anything come of it? could this snowball? >> i don't know. and i think that the biggest thing that has to happen here is first we have to raise the minimum waning. secondly, consumers have to be sensitive to this whole issue. and thirdly, you know, henry ford taught us a lesson a century ago. and he was, by the way, not pro

union. and he understood if he didn't pay his workers, the kind of wages that turn them into consumers, that it was going to hurt his car company can, hurt the economy overall. so i think that's the really important consideration here. the other thing is, you know, walmart is going to open -- if kmart is going to open. this is a problem of the commons. if you're going to get this -- if you want to close stores on thanksgiving, they're all going to have to close. it's going to have to be like christmas day. we have at least not yet reached the point where everybody is shopping on christmas. although i suspect a lot of people are online. >> and you know, ed, the big irony in what bob was saying, that big bulge you had in economic growth after world war ii was precisely because unionized labor and even nonunionized shops understood they had to pay workers a wage that they could then buy the cars and refrigerators, et cetera, is producing this huge bul bulge. today that has been decupled. right now companies are not coupled to the -- the wages of their workers for them to be consumers. they only care about building

shareholder value, which often means cutting salaries and cutting payroll costs to squeeze every additional share point out of their stock. and unfortunately, that's where we are. >> yeah. well, if walmart would tighten the margins, i could understand. i don't think it says much for them if they're going to be holding food drives. their employees are holding food drives to help out other employees who are struggling. great to have both of you with us tonight. joy reid, bob shrum. >> happy thanksgiving. >> happy thanksgiving, ed. >> you can count on me eating the turkey. no question about that. >> i like the stuffing. >> hear hear. >> i go right for the neck as soon as it comes out of the oven. i'm a taste guy right away. that's the way that is. coming up, the do-nothing congress isn't showing any signs of feeling shutdown deadline pressure. stay with us.

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gross incompetencies. martha mccallum is the anchor. the fox news host thinks that obama care is worse than hurricane katrina, and the iraq war? >> what i keep coming back to, unlike other issues, katrina or the iraq war that we have seen in the past second term, this is something that touches so many people's lives across the country. and you don't know whether the president is going to be able to successfully dodge it. >> well, here's a handy chart of issues mccallum mentions. nearly 4,500 american soldiers died in iraq, not to me think tens of thousands injured. zero people have died from the affordable care act. george w. bush would have prayed for a problem the size of his i.t. department. if martha mccallum believes starting a war and mishandling a disaster is the same as waiting for a web page to load, she can keep on pretending.

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welcome back to "the ed show." this is the story for the folks who take a shower after work. now, for holiday shoppers, it's a numbers game. we are 28 days away from christmas. that's shopping days, anyway. and of course in washington, you know, if you're scoring at home it's a numbers game there as well. but there doesn't seem to be a sense of urgency to get a deal or to meet any deadline when it comes to a budget. there are only 10 legislative working days until another

government shutdown. just what you want to hear, right? republicans in congress have no plans to prevent it from happening again. >> it's very clear a government shutdown does not stop obama care. it did shut down and didn't stop obama care. i don't think that's going to be repeated. >> democratic lawmakers are voicing concerns with paul ryan's failure to present a gop budget proposal. >> january 15th is a day that will put us at the front door of another budget shutdown. if we do not come up with a budget. >> the republicans are now chairing this conference committee. it's their term. they're in charge, and although we've put our priorities forward, we have not seen any plan, not any plan from our republican colleagues. >> america is rightfully disgusted with the congress of the united states.

me too. >> so cut to the chase. republicans refuse to put any new revenues on the table. democrats are holding strong to protect the big three, medicare, medicaid, social security. this puts defense spending in the bullseye. if no solution is presented by december 13th, the current congress could go down as one of the most unproductive in modern history. congressman john geramindi joins us tonight. congressman, got to have you with us on the program. let's talk money. if there's not going to be any new revenues on the table, if the democrats are going to protect the big three, the bullseye now turns onto defense spending. is there money that can be saved there that could bring us to a budget resolution where we could move forward in this country? >> well, of course you can make cuts, but you're going to significantly harm national security.

there are places we could make cuts. some of the nuclear weapon programs could be delayed or put off and not done at all. but the bottom line is the sequestration is not just the department of defense. cancer research, alzheimer's research, energy research. the kinds of things we need to do to protect our health as well as build our economy, those things get cut along with the military. so it's a very, very serious problem. and the economy, the businesses simply don't know what to expect. and that's going to slow everything down. last time it was $24 billion right out of the economy. this time i just don't understand what the republicans are thinking. i really don't get it. >> what is the fix here, john? what is the solution here as you see it? >> well, i think there's two things. first of all, recognize that the deficit has been dramatically introduced. if we get this economy going, it could be further reduced and we could find ourselves not at a

balanced budget, but very close to that. so get the economy going. do the kind of things that build the economy, the critical investments, investments in infrastructure, your research and energy programs. make wise cuts. i made the nuclear weapons suggestion. there are things we must do. make sure our levees are built, our roads, all those things. so you get the economy moving, make wise cuts, eliminate unnecessary tax breaks. for example, the oil industry, one of the most profitable or indeed the most profitable industry in the world continues to get massive tax breaks from the american taxpayers all of which everybody else gets to make up and pay for. so you can bring revenue in by eliminating those unnecessary and unwise tax breaks. >> and of course that would be new revenue on the table which the republicans have said no to

every time. in fact, boehner would never bring anything like that to the floor as a vote. so we're kind of in a quagmire here. about obama care, will the affordable care act be part of this equation moving forward on a budget? i mean, you heard ryan say it didn't work, their strategy didn't work last time. are we going to hear the same song and dance here coming down the stretch? >> well, we could. certainly the republicans have seen themselves on a roll. they've been beating their chest, they're kind of doing that kind of dance before the kickoff. and it could very well carryover and they may try once again to defund, delay or, somehow dispose of the affordable care act. if they do so, i think there's going to be a serious problem for them to say nothing of the country because it will quite likely lead to the shutdown of government. >> so the next stage of sequestration cuts are going to be brutal. and it just seems to me that the republicans are okay with that.

that they would allow this to just go forward and do a continuing resolution with the sequestration cuts. your thoughts. >> that's exactly what we're hearing. today we heard it from the minority leadership of the senate and also in the house. they're shrugging their shoulders saying it's okay because it's going to further reduce the size of government. wait a minute. exactly what are you reducing? you're reducing the military defense. you're reducing research for all of the critical things we need in our future from telecommunications, energy, health care. that's what's going to get reduced. it just -- it's really nonsense and it's terrible, terrible public policy. at some point, well, just take a look. the europeans have recognized that austerity budgets have not led to a better economy in europe. >> exactly. >> we're in the third year of an austerity budget and it is not growing the economy. it is shrinking the deficit, but

we're into a long-term decline if we don't make the critical investments. >> all right. and we're down to ten days on the legislative side to get it done. it doesn't seem good at this point. congressman, good to have you with us tonight. have a great thanksgiving. appreciate your time. "politicsnation" with reverend al sharpton begins right now. good evening, rev. >> good evening, ed. and thanks to you for tuning in. tonight's lead, toward a more perfect union. the great fight of our time is the fight for fairness in this country. we see that on issue after issue. health care, of course, and voting rights. but no issue is more central to who we are as a people than the issue of income equality. over the last 30 years, the income for the top 1% has grown 275%, but the